QSFer J.R. Frontera has a new queer speculative fiction short story collection out:
Lonely assassins. Moon vacations. Consciousness transfers.
What do all of these have in common? Not much, except for the characters in this collection of science fiction short stories, they mean the end of the line….
From Twilight Zone-style twists to a romping space-western adventure a la Firefly, these award-winning stories are now presented together as a complete collection science fiction lovers of all types can enjoy.
Giveaway
J.R. is giving away an eBook of her short story “In Death, Everything” with this post – just comment below with your name and email for a chance to win. About the story: This thoughtful, existentialist science fiction short is a vivid and intimate journey on an unavoidable subject. With lyrical prose, intricate descriptions, and a fascinating point of view, J. R. Frontera takes you on a deep dive into what it means to be a living member of the universe…
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Excerpt
He went through the motions. One foot in front of the other, arms swinging, head held high, and hoped it would be enough.
A wall loomed in front of him abruptly and forced him to stop. Richard frowned up at it. That was something no one had mentioned. No one had ever said anything about a wall.
He looked to his left, then to his right, but it appeared to be a never-ending expanse of flat gray cinder-block. Bewilderment scratched at his consciousness.
What did he do now? A person couldn’t very well walk forward with a wall in front of him, could he? Or could he? It was a dream-world, and maybe that was the point of walking forward no matter what.
Richard took a cautious step forward and brought himself right up against the wall, but it felt quite solid. The toes of his polished Oxfords scuffed against its base, and the rough texture of the bricks pressed into his palms as he leaned into it and pushed. No use. This dream wall was as solid as any in the real world.
He stepped back and sighed. Looks like the counselors were full of shit. Bastards. When I wake up, I’m calling my lawyer.
He turned right and followed the wall until he came to an opening. Relief washed over him, only to curdle into dread as he walked through it and recognized what he’d stepped into: a maze.
Author Bio
J. R. Frontera‘s love of science fiction and fantasy originated with her early exposure to the worlds of Star Wars, Star Trek, Lord of the Rings, and Dune. Exploring the potential and pitfalls of future or fantastical worlds is a temptation she’s just never been able to resist. She lives in rural Missouri with her husband, son, and a random assortment of four-legged friends. She writes mostly speculative fiction with a side of love story, but dabbles in a bit of everything else, from children’s stories and poetry to erotica. She has been telling stories in some form or another since she could hold a crayon and draw. She co-founded the writing group known as The Wordwraiths and is co-owner of their publishing imprint Wordwraith Books. Check out her books and say hello at jrfrontera.com — she’d love to meet you!